Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS dental services take on new patients.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are responsible for commissioning primary dental care services to meet local need, including for new patients. The Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement to increase the levels of National Health Service dental care delivered. Dental practices have been asked to meet as many prioritised needs as possible, focussing first on urgent care and care for vulnerable groups, including children followed by overdue appointments. Patients should be prioritised according to clinical need, regardless of whether they are known to the practice or are new patients. This is a condition of ongoing financial support.